Take the very idea of speed, multiply it seven times that of sound, and you get something like Dart AE. It's not a science fiction spaceship (nor a UAP like the ones that are so popular lately) but a hypersonic experimental aircraft. Arrow in name, arrow in fact: its goal is to reach the hypersonic speed of Mach 7, and to do so with green hydrogen fuelling.
Hypersonix: Masters of the Hypersonic
Starting what could be a new era of aviation is hypersonix, Australia's pioneering aerospace engineering company. Specializing in hypersonic technology and scramjet engines, Hypersonix is the architect behind the creation of the Dart AE. It is not (yet) a conventional aircraft: at the moment it is… Help me give it a name… a hypersonic unmanned flight platform.
Your assignment for these tests conducted with the Australian Department of Defense? Study flight conditions, data transmission and maneuverability at stratospheric speeds.
Hypersonics: the speed of the future
If we go into the details of how DART AE is made, things get really interesting. Hypersonix unveiled a demonstration version of its hydrogen-powered scramjet technology, built in HTCMCs (for friends: High Temperature Matrix Ceramic Composites) by a renowned European aerospace manufacturer.
The SPARTAN scramjet engine, 3D printed in Australia, is a monster of technology capable of reaching speeds up to Mach 7.
In fact, the designers are refining the design and techniques necessary to offer a version capable of operating at speeds up to Mach 12 and withstanding the rigors of frequent flights. When traveling at Mach 5 or higher, the high heat generated by friction can compromise the structural integrity of various critical parts of hypersonic vehicles, but to the "hypersonic arrow," the designers say, these challenges aren't scary.
Fast and eco-friendly: is it possible?
If you think all this is impressive, I add (indeed I repeat) that Dart AE is powered by green hydrogen. Not only are we talking about hypersonic speed, but we are also talking about sustainable flight. It's a beautiful vision of the future: who knows if it will come true in whole, in part or not at all.
Would you go up there? Let us know on the Futuro Prossimo channels: maybe in the brand new Instagram group opened just today! I wait for you.
